• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Streaking Flames welcome Blues to Calgary

Jan 26, 2011 - 4:14 PM (Sports Network) - The month of January has brought opposite fortunes to the Blues and Flames.

Calgary goes for a season high-tying fourth straight victory while St. Louis hopes to avoid a fourth consecutive setback in tonight's meeting at Scotiabank Saddledome, the first of the season between the Western Conference foes.

The Flames are hoping to make a move up the conference standings after going 9-3-3 over their last 15 games. That run began with a four-game win streak from Dec. 23-Jan 1 and Calgary has bested a pair of first-place teams in Dallas and Vancouver over its current string of victories. The club also beat a streaking Predators team, 3-1, on Monday.

Miikka Kiprusoff made 23 saves and Brendan Morrison, Jarome Iginla and Curtis Glencross had the goals for the Flames, who sit 12th in the West and four points back of a playoff spot. Matt Stajan and Alex Tanguay posted two assists each.

"We have to play desperate from here on out," said Tanguay. "Tonight we played with intensity and kept the puck away from Miikka. Our power play was clicking and it was a big two points."

While Calgary will hope this weekend's All-Star break won't derail its current run, St. Louis probably can't wait to get to February. The Blues are just 2-7-2 this month, one that began with a five-game slide, and are coming off Monday's 4-3 setback to Colorado. St. Louis is tied with Columbus for the second-fewest points in the West, but are just five out of a playoff slot.

David Backes scored with 1:27 left in Monday's game to pull the Blues within a goal, but they could not get the equalizer. Backes notched his team-leading 16th goal and 37th point of the season and has seven goals this month.

"We showed a lot of character and a lot of good things and it's a step in the right direction. Steps in the right direction don't get you any points," Backes said.

Jay McClement and Eric Brewer also scored, Brad Boyes ended with three assists and Jaroslav Halak made 28 saves.

St. Louis' Barret Jackman missed Monday's game with a lower-body injury and is questionable for tonight.

The Blues do have a decent shot of turning things around tonight as they went 3-0-1 versus the Flames last year and have won three straight at Calgary. Halak, in his first season with St. Louis, is just 1-3-0 with a 3.02 goals- against average in his career versus the Flames, however.

Kiprusoff is 1-2-1 in his last four starts against the Blues since a personal 12-game win streak over the club, moving to 15-5-2 with a 2.15 GAA versus them lifetime.